Apparatus for the manufacture of handle attachments for paper bags



Oct. '26, 1943. E, ROBNSON ET'AL 2,332,530.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 23, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ INVENT S EuwAmKRoamson J OHN .BAGNALL ATTORNE'Y Oct. 26, 1943- E. K. ROBlNSON-ETIAL 2,332,530

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 25, 1941 a Sheets-Sheet 2 w INVENTORS g EDWARDK-ROBINSON JOHN BAGNALL ATTORNEYS I (D LE1 m I ------.J I

Oct. 26, 1943.

E'. K. ROBINSON ETAL.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 2:5, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 can a2 \NVENTORS RDKROHSON JOHN |||| IIL.

Oct. 26, 1943- E, K. ROBINSON ET-AL APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTUREOF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 25, 1941 8 She'bs-Sheet 4 INVENTORS EDwARnKRoBmsoN JOHN.BAGNALL M )5 ATTORNEYS a Q o M u mwnnhwhu m2 SW2 w: m: m ow u n 2.. 4-1--- v W T m u n 27 b: .C. SB. mm mm 3. n T m @2 mm .5 w: M m on 3 m but w. Mm EU- q 1943- E. K. ROBINSON EI'AL 2,332,530

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS 1 u ATTORNEY Oct. 26, 1943. E. K. ROBINSON ETAL 2,332,530

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 25, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet -6 EDMRDKROBINSON \JOHLLBAGNALL INVEN TORS ATTORNEYS Oct. 26, 1943. E. K. ROBINSON arm.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 23, 1941 8 Shee'ts-Sheet 7 m'vEN'roRs sowmaxnoamsou L. I JOHBLBAGNALL ATTO R NEYS Oct. 26, 1943. E. K. ROBINSON ETAL 3 APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Filed June 25', 1941 a Sheets-Sheet s n A o e m i: A 00 n5 H a g v .3 l\

O I -5-a o =9 2 P8 #5 INVENTORS EnwARuKRoamson g :2 g JOHNBAGNALL FIG."

- mouth portion of a bag.

aiented Oct. 26, 1943 APPARATEJS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HANDLE ATTACHMENTS FOR PAPER BAGS Edward Keith Robinson, Montreal, Quebec, and John Bagnall, Windsor Mills, Quebec, Canada, assignors to Canada Paper Company, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of the Dominion of Canada Application June 23, 1941, Serial No. 299,404

17 Claims. (01. 93-1) This invention relates to the manufacture of handle attachments for paper shopping bags and the object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the continuous production of ham dle attachments of the type comprising a substantially U-shaped handle forming string havin its ends anchored to one side of a strain distributing strip which is adaptedjo be secured to the mouth portion of the bag.

An important feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the U-shaped handle forming strings are successively fabricated during intermittent movements of a continuous strain distributing strip and are successively stapled to said strip by stapling operations which are timed to occur when the strip is at rest.

Another feature of the invention resides in the manner in which each handle forming member, after being fabricated, is caused to advance with the strain distributing strip so that th side portions of the handle member are successively presented to a stapling head which is located at one side of the path of travel of the strip.

A further feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the intermittently advancing strip is cut. transversely as it passes beyond the stapling station to provide a plurality of shorter strip sections each having one of the U-shaped handle forming members stapled there- A further feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the shorter strip' sections passing beyond the strip cutting station are engagedby passing-on means and delivered to an adhesive, applying station where adhesive is applied to opposite sides of said strip sections to facilitate subsequent attachment thereof to the Afurther feature of the invention resides in the provision of novel conveyor means to which the handle attachments are delivered from the gluing station and by means of which the handle attachments are conveyed to a handle applying station where the handle attachments are applied to the bags by manual labor or in any other desired manner.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be mor readily understood from the following detailed description Figure 2 is a front elevation of the assembly shown in Fi 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the complete machine.

Figure 4 is a plan view. of the machine shown in Fig. 3. In this view only certain elements of the stapling machine are indicated by dotted lines.

Figure 5 is an end elevation looking toward the left hand end of the machine appearing in Fig.3.

Figure 6 is an end elevation looking toward the right hand end of the machine appearing in Fig. 3.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the driving mechanism provided for operating the strip feed-. ing rolls.

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the assembly shown in Fig. 7

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the driving mechanism provided for driving the string feeding rolls.

Figure 10 is an end elevation of the assembly appearing in Fig. 9.

Figure 11 is a view showing the string feeding and string cutting mechanism in side elevation.

Figure 12 is a front elevation of the assembly shown in Fig. 11. I

Figure 13 is a front elevation of the strip cutting mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the cutting mechanism shown in Fig. 13. v

Figure 15 is a plan view of a handle formin element.

Figure 16 is a front elevation of the element shown in Fig. 15.,

Figure 17 is an enlarged plan view of a handle former lifting device.

Figure 18 is a front elevation of the lifting device shown in Fig. 1'7.

Figure 19 is a detail view showing part of the shock absorbing connection provided between the handle forming element and its operating mechanism.

Figure 20 is a view of one of'the handle attachments which our improved machine is designed to produce.

Referring to the diagrammatic illustrations appearing in Figs. 1 and 2, 5 designates a reel from which a narrow strip of cardboard O is drawn by feed rolls I which operate intermittently to move the. strip along the upper surface of a table 8. As the strip 6 is moved past the handle forming station X a predetermined length of string I is fed across the upper surface of the strip from a reel 10 by means of intermittently operated string feeding rolls I I. As the string 9 passes across the cardboard strip 6 it enters the downwardly opening subtsantlally U-shaped channel l2 a movable handle forming element 13. As the string is forced through the channel l2 it is bent in the form of a U-shaped'handle loop 9a so that the free end of the string is again directed across the cardboard strip as indicated at 9b. When the end 9b of the string reaches the position shown in Fig. 1 it is automatically stapled to the underlying portion of the cardboard strip 8 by the operation of a stapling machin IS, the stapling head 18 of which projects over theupper surface of said strip. At about the same instant a string cutter Ila is operated to sever the end 90 of the handle loop 9a from the length of string coming from the feed rolls II. As hereinafter explained, the stapling head l8 and the string cutter I! operate at atime when the strip feeding rolls 1 and the string feeding rolls H are at rest so that the strip 6 is stationary during the aforesaid stapling operation.

When the stapling head l6 and the cutter it have completed the aforesaid stapling and cutting operations the string feeding rolls ll remain at rest but the strip feed rolls 1 are again put into operation to advance the strip 8 a further predetermined distance along the table 8 and the handle forming element I3 is simultaneously moved in the same direction and to the same extent by a suitable reciprocating actuating bar II which is timed and operated as hereinafter de-' scribed. The extent to which the strip 8 and the handle forming element l3 are moved simultaneously along the table 8 is predetermined so that the handle loop 911 is shifted to position X to bring the end 90 beneath the stapling head l6. When this occurs the strip feeding rolls 1 are again brought to rest and the stapling head I8 is again operated to staple the end 90 of the handle loop 9a to the underlying portion of the strip 3. At the same time a strip cutter mechanism I9 is operated to cut the strip transversely at a predetermined point in advance of the leading end 9b of the handle loop 9a. When these second stapling and cutting operations have been completed the handle forming element I3 is lifted clear of the handle forming loop 9a and returned from the dotted line to the full line position shown in Fig. 1. At the same time the strip feed rolls 1 and the string feeding rolls H are caused to resume operation so that a further portion of the string 9 is fed across the strip 6 and into the channel of the handle forming element i3 to form a second handle loop which is subsequently stapled in place as described in connection with the first mentioned loop.

The handle forming element I3 is shown provided with a pin 20 which, as more fully described hereinafter, travels beneath a hinged lifting plate 2| as the handleformer is advanced rides up the inclined portion 25 and travels along the upper surface of the plate 2| until it passes beyond the left hand end of the plate and drops down to the starting or full line position shown in Fig. 1. As the pin travels up the inclined 'portion it lifts the channel portion i2 of the ositions indicated at X and X When the first from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. The plate 2| is pivoted at 22 to a bracket 23 projecting above the table 8 and is normally held against upward swinging movement by means of a spring 24. The right hand end of plate 2|, as viewed in Fig. l, is bent downwardly to provide the inclined portion 25. The hinged mounting of the plate 21 permits the inclined end 25 to be displaced upwardly to permit the pin 20 to pass from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. The inclined portion 25 then drops down to a position opposite the pin 20 so that, during the return movement of the handle forming element l3 by the bar [1, the pin 20 formed handle loop 9:; has reached the position X the second formed handle loop 911 will be in the position indicated at X. At this time the cutter mechanism I9 will be operating to cut the strip midway between the trailing end of the first formed handle loop 9a which is at position X and the leading end 3b of the second formed handle loop 9a which is at position X. The stapling head IE will also be operating at this time to staple the trailing end So of the second formed handle loop 9a to the underlying portion of the strip 6. From this description it will be seen that successive operations of the cutter I9 are timed to divide the strip 6 into a plurality of small individual sections 6a each-equipped with a handle loop 9a (see Fig. 20). Each of the successively separated handle carrying strip sections 6a is gradually moved along the table 8 by the intermittent advance of the main portion of the strip 6 until it is engaged by continuously rotating passing-on rolls 21 which serve to feed successive handle carrying sections in of the strip to suitable glue applying rolls 28. The machine i timed so that the gluing rolls 28 make one complete revolution in contact with each other before each handle section 6a which is being fed by the passing-on rolls 2! actually enters the nip between the gluing rolls. This enables the upper gluing roll 28 to be supplied with adhesive by contact with the lower gluing roll whichoperates in a glue containing tank 29. Each handle carrying section 6a of the strip is delivered by the gluing rolls 28 to an endless chain conveyor 3| so that the handle loops 9a are engaged by suitable carrying hooks 32 projecting laterally from the endless conveyor chain 33. In the present instance we have shown only the sprockets 34 around which the chain 33 is trained at the receiving end of the conveyor 3| but it will be understood that the chain 33 is also trained around similar sprockets at the discharge end of the conveyor.

This chain conveyor serves to deliver the handle attachments to a station where said attachments are applied to the mouth portion of the bags by manual labor or in any other suitable manner.

. In the foregoing description we have dealt with only the general arrangement and functions of the essential mechanisms embodied in our improved handle forming machine. Since the specific details of these mechanisms and the means provided for operating them in properly timed relation are subject to considerable variation in practice, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those particular details which will now be described in connection with the complete mechanical assembly illustrated in Figs. 3 to 19 inclusive.

The strip feeding mechanism The upper and lower feed rolls 1 of this mechanrsm are mounted'on shafts l0 and ll provided with mtermeshing gears 42 and 43 (see Figs. 3,

4.7 and 8). Thelowershaftfl carriesa assasso ratchet wheeil4andapinion4l,the formerbeingfixed' to said shaft and the latter being rotatably mounted thereon. The ratchet wheel 44 is driven by a pawl "pivoted to a pawl carrier 41 attached to the pinion 48. The pinion 48 is intermittently rotated in opposite directions by a rack member 48 having one end adiustably secured;

byaslotandpinconnectionflmtoacrankarm 48 carried by a crank shaft 88 mounted in the frame members II and I2. Crank shaft II is 88 (seeFigs.8and4). Itwillthusbeseenthat rotation of the crank shaft 88 serves, through the agency of the rack 48, pinion 48, pawl 48 and ratchet wheel 44, to eifect intermittent rotation of the feed rolls 1 in a strip feeding direction whereby said strip is intermittently advanced a predetermined distance along the upper surface of the table 8 between successive operations of the stapling head I8, it being understood that the stapling operations are timed to occur when the rack member 48 is making a return or non-working stroke.

The string feeding mechanism The upper and lower feed rolls I I of this mechanism are carried by shafts 58 and 58 Joumalled in suitable frame members 88 and 8|, said shafts being provided with 'intermeshing gears 82 and 88 (compare Figs. 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12). The lower shaft is driven through gears 85, 66, 61, 88 and 88 from a bevel gear shaft 18 which, in turn, is driven by bevel pinions 'II and 12 from an intermittently operated shaft 18. The last mentioned shaft (see Figs. 3, 9, and 11) carries a ratchet wheel 14 and a pinion 18, the former being fixed 82 below the crank shaft 88. Shaft 8i is driven from shaft 58 by intermeshing gears 82 and 83. The construction and timing of this string feed mechanism is such that, at each operation thereof, a predetermined length of string is fed across the moving strip 8 and into the channel I2 of the handle forming element I3. This feeding of the string occurs when the handle forming element I3 is in the full line position shown in Fig. 1 and is discontinued during the previously mentioned stapling operations. In this connection it will be understood that the stapling operations take place during the return or non-working stroke of the rack 18.

' The handle former and its operating mechanism As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the preferred embodiment of the handle forming element I3 comprises a plate 81 provided with an in gral extension 81a. at the entrance end of the channel I2. The side walls of the channel I2 are formed by inner and outer substantially U-shaped strips 88 and 88 whose upper edges are welded to the lower surface of the plate 81 as indicated at 88. The entrance end of the channel I2 is formed by end portions of the-strips 88 and 88 which lie below and are welded to the plate extensions 81a. The exit end of the channel I2 is formed by the remaining end portions of the strips which prodriven from the power shaft 88 of the machine through a gear train comprising gears 84, 88 and lost beyond the edge m of plate .01 a ma substantially equal to the length of the extension 81a. Portions of the channel forming strips 88 and 88 which lie between the points Y (mars;

and the exit end of the channel I2 are left free of attachment to theplate 81 so that these portions of the strips may be flexed to diiferent positions of adjustment with respect to each other and with respect to the plate 81 to alter-thecontour of the channel to suit the characteristics of different types of strings which may be employed to provide the previously mentioned han die loops 8a.. The free or flexible end portions of the channel forming strips 88 and 88 are provided with plate portions 88 and II equipped with fastening screws 82 working in slots 88 provided in plate 81. After the free ends of the channel forming strips have been flexed to the desired position of adjustment they are secured in place by tightening the screws 82 into clamping engagement with the upper surface of: the plate 81.

The handle former I8 carries a plate 84 to which one end of the pr'eviouslymentioned handle former operating bar I1 is boltechas shown to advantage in Figs. 3 and 4. The bar I1 works in a suitable guide 88 and has its opposite end secured to a suitable fitting 88 carried by one end of a pivot shaft 81 which extends transversely through the guide slot 88 of a' suitable pivot guide 88. The other end of pivot shaft 81 is connected by a shock absorbing link I88 to the upper end of a cam operated lever I8I which is mounted to swing about an intermediate pivot shaft I82 and has its lower and disposed in riding engagement with an operating cam I83. As clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 19, the connection between the link I88 and the lever I8I comprises a fork member I84 whose arms I85 are.

pivotally secured to the upper end of lever I8I by means of a pivot bolt I88 which passes through the lever slot I81 and is fitted with a retaining nut I88. The link I88 extends siidabiy through the guide bore I88 ofthe fitting I84 and also through a slot 8 provided in a portion of the bolt I88 which lies between the fork arms I85. The free end of link I88 is fitted with stop nuts II I which are engageable with the bolt I88 to limit movement of the link in one direction. A portion of .link I88 is encircled'by a shock absorbing spring II2 which is confined between the fitting I84 and a suitable abutment I84, the latter being fixed to said link. The lower end of lever IN is held in contact with the cam I83 by a suitable spring II4 which is connected between' the handle forming element I3 from the full to until the leading end 9b of the loop 9a has been stapled to the underlying portion of the strip 8 by the stapling head I6. It then moves forward with the strip 8 until the trailing end of the handle loop la lying within the channel I2 is brought beneath the stapling head I3. As soon as the last mentioned end 30 of the handle loop la lying within the channel I2 has been stapled in place the handle former is lifted clear of the handle loop 30 by the lifting plate 2| as the bandle former commences its return movement to the starting position shown by full lines in Fig.1.

The handle former lifting device The preferred embodiment of this device is illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18. As here shown the plate portion 2| is provided with downwardly directedextensions 2Ia and 2Ib located adjacent opposite ends thereof. The extension 2Ia is pivotally secured to the upper portion of the bracket 23 by the pivot pin 22. Theextension 2| serves as a stop which rests on the upper surface of the table 8 to limit downward movement of the inclined end 25 of plate 2|. The spring 24 is coiled about the pivot 22 and has one end disposed to bear against a shelf portion 23a of the bracket 23. The remaining end of spring 24 is hooked over a pin 2 Ic projecting outwardly from the extension 2Ib and normally serves to hold the plate 2| in the full line position shown in Fig. 18. During movement of the handle former I3 from the full to the dotted line position shown in Figs. 1 and 18 the pin 20 travels beneath the lower surface of the plate 2| which remains in its horizontal position until the pin 20 strikes the inclined portion 25 and lifts the plate 2| to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 18. When the handle former I3 comes to rest in the said dotted line position the pin 20 and the inclined portion 25 of the plate 2| are relatively arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 18. Then, when the handle former I3 commences its return movement, the pin 20 rides up the inclined portion 25 and onto the upper surface of the plate 2| so that the handle former I3 is thus lifted clear of the handle loop 3a which previously occupied the channel I2. As the pin 28 travels beyond the left hand end of the plate 2|, as viewed in Fig. 18, the handle'former I3 drops down upon the table 8 in position to receive the leading end of a second length of string 8 which is then "fed into the channel I2 to form a second handle loop- -The string cutting mechanism As indicated in Fig. 4, the string 9 is led to the nip of the string feeding rolls II through suitably supported guide bushings I22 and I23. From the rolls II the string passes through a further guide bushing I24 and over the knife I'Ia and the upper surface of the strip 6 into the channel I2 of the handle forming element I3. As shown more particularly in Figs. 11 and 12 the string cutter I'Ia works against one end face of the bushing I24. The cutter I'Ia is provided, at its upper end, with a V-shaped cutting edge IIb which serves to sever the string close to the bushing I24 during upward movement of the cutter. The cutter IIa is fastened to a slide I28 by bolts I21 working in a slot I28 provided in a frame member I28. The slide I26 and the attached cutter I'Ia are periodically raised to a string cutting position by a slide operating cam I28a fixed to one end of a shaft I38. The other end of shaft I38 carries a gear I 3| which is driven through an idler gear I32 from a gear I33 mounted on a cam shaft I34 which also controls the operation of the stapling head I6, as hereinafter described. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the cam shaft I34 is driven from the power shaft 53 through a gear train comprising gears I38, I31, I33 and I39. By the driving mechanism herein described the operation of the cutter Ila is timed so that the cutter makes a working stroke each time the string feeding rollers II are brought to rest after feeding a predetermined length of string into the channel I2 of the handle forming element I3.

The stapling machine timing mechanism In the present instance we have shown a conventional stapling machine I5 which is known to the trade as the Ideal Double Head Stitching Machine. This type of stapling machine is characterized by the fact that the stapling head I8 drives two parallel staples at each operation thereof. We prefer to usethis type of staplin machine since it enables each of the two arms of the handle loop 8a to be fastened to the underlying strip Ii by two staples S, as shown to advantage in Fig. 1. It would, of course, be feasible to use a single head Ideal Stitcher or other make of stapling machine which drives only a single staple at each operation of the stapling head I6.

The stapling machine I5 is provided with a driving pulley A adapted to be belt connected to a driving motor or other suitable driving member (not shown). The pulley A drives the stapling machine through a conventional clutch B the engagement and disengagement of which is controlled by the operation of a vertically movable clutch controlling rod C. Th rod 0 is nor- ,mally held in a raised clutch disengaging position by suitable spring means (not shown) and is periodically moved downwardly to a clutch engaging position by means of a cam I43 which is carried by the previously mentioned cam shaft I34. The cam I43 acts against a roller I44 (Fig. 5) at the lower end of rod C and this controls the periodic operation of the stapling head I6 in suitably timed relation to the other mechanisms previously described.

The strip cutting mechanism This mechanism is shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4, 13 and 14. It comprises an upper stationary knife I48 and a lower movabl knife I41, both of which extend transversely across the path of travel of the strip 6 along the table 8. The sta tlonary knife I48 is carried by a suitable bracket structure I48 which also carries a yieldingly mounted presser foot I49 beneath which the strip 6 travels as it passes toward the cutting knives I48 and I41. The purpose of the presser foot I48 is to guide the strip 6 under the upper stationary knife I46 and also to hold down the handle loop 9a when the handle forming element I3 is coming into its lifting position before returning to full line position shown in Fig, 1. The presser foot I48 is carried by vertical guide rods I50 which slide vertically through suitable guide openings provided in the bracket structure I48 and which are normally held. in their lowermost position by suitable biasing springs I5I. The movable cutting knife I41 normally lies below a slot I53 provided in the table 8 and is pivoted at one end to a suitable bracket I54. The other end of knife I41 rests on one end of a lever I55 the other end of which is pivoted to a frame portion of the machine as indicated at I56. Lever I55 is held in riding engagement with an operating cam I51 by means of a spring I58 which is connected between the free end of the movable knife I41 and a suitable anchoring member I59. At each operation of the cam I5I the movable knife I41 is j The passing-on .fixedtoacamshaft lllwhichisdrivenfrom the previously mentioned cam shaft I88 throilah'a gear train comprising gears I8I, I82 and I88.

rolls and their operating mechanism Thepassing-onrolls 21 arefixedtoupperand lower shafts I88 and I88 suitably journalled in the frame structure of the machine. Shaft I 88 carries gear I81 (Fig. 4) which drives another gear (not shown) fixed to shaft I88. Shaft I88 is driven from the shaft I88 of the strip cutter mechanism I8 by a gear train comprising gears I88, I88 and I18. The periphery of the upper passing-on roll 21 is shaped to provide recessed portions I12 which enable the roll to suitably accommodatethehandle loops 8a as the roll is performing its function of passing the handle attachments onto the gluing rolls 28. The lower passing-on roll 21 is a relatively small roll which is preferably provided with a knurled peripheral surface for engagement with the bottom of the strip portion of the handle attachment passing thereover.

The gluing rolls and operating mechanism The gluing rolls 28 are mounted on upper and lower'shafts I18 and I18 so that the peripheries of these rolls are in contact with each other except when a handle attachment is passing therebetween. The upper gluing roll shaft I18 is driven from the upper advancing roll shaft I88 through a train of gearing comprising gears I18, I88 and I8I. The upper gluing roll 28 is provided with notches 28a in which the sides of the handle loops 8a are accommodated as each a handle attachment is passed between the gluing rolls and onto the conveyor I8I.

Glue is supplied to the tank 28 from an inverted bottle-shaped container 28a which is supported in an upright position by a suitable frame structure 28!), the flow of glue from the container 28a to the tank 28 being such as to maintain the glue at a substantially constant level in i said tank.

The conveyor operating mechanism The power shaft driving mechanism The main power shaft 88 is fitted, at one end, with a hand wheel I8I and at the other end with a fixed pulley I82 and a loose pulley I83. When ,the machine is at rest the driving belt I88 (Fig.

6) is trained around the loose pulley I83 and a driving pulley I85 carried by a driving shaft I88. Both runs of the belt I84 pass through a belt shifter I81 provided at one end of a belt shifting rod I88 which extends transversely across the frame of the machine and is provided,

handle member I88.

I81, and belt shifting rod I88 are normally held in the full line position shown in Fig. 6 by a biasing spring 2", one end of said spring'being anchored to the machine frame as indicated at 282 and the other end being anchored to a post 288 projecting upwardly from the belt shifting rod I88. when it is desired to establish a drive connection between the power shaft 88 ofthe machine and.the driving pulley I88-the handle I88 of the belt shifting rod I88 is pulled to the left to the dotted line position shown in Figaii so thatthe belt I8listhus shifted from tl'ieloose'xv pulley I88 onto the fixed pulley I82. The handle member I88 of the belt shifter is retained in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5 by means of a latch rod 284. This rod 288 is siidably mounted in suitable bearing brackets 28' sothat one end thereof may be inserted in an opening 288 provided in the clutch shifting handle I88 when the latter is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6. When it is desired to disrupt the drive connection between the pulleys I82 and I8! this is accomplished by pulling the latch releasing rod 284 to the right as viewed. in Fig. 3 so that the left hand end of the rod is withdrawn from the opening 288 of the clutch shifting handle I88. This releasement of handle I88 permits thespring 20I to move the clutch shifting rod I88 to the right as viewed in Fig. 6 so that the belt is thus shifted from the fixed pulley I82 back onto the loose pulley I83 which revolves freely on the shaft 88. 8

Having thus described the operating principles of our invention and the preferred mechanical embodiment thereof it will be understood that various modifications in the construction and assembly of the component parts may be resorted to within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. Apparatus for the continuous production of handle attachments of the character described comprising a handle forming member provided with a substantially U-shaped handle forming channel, means for intermittently advancing a continuous strip along a predetermined path of- .travel toward which the ends of said channel are directed, means for feeding a predetermined length of string across said strip and into said channel whereby said length of string is bent to provide a U-shaped handle having portions of its side arms extending across said strip and means for stapling said portions of the side arms of the U-shaped handle to said strip.

2. Apparatus for the continuous production of handle attachments of the character described comprising means for intermittentlyadvancing a continuous strip along a predetermined path of travel, a movable handle former. located at one side of said path and provided with a substantially U-shaped handle forming channe1 theends of which are directed toward said path, means located at the opposite side of said path for feeding a predetermined length of string across said strip and through the channel of'the handle former whereby said length of string is bent'to provide a,

U-shaped handle having portions of its side arms overlying said strip, means functioning, upon completion of said handle, to staple the leading side of the handle to the underlying portion of the strip, said string feeding means being arranged to operate at a time when said strip is at its opposite end, with a downwardly directed 75. moving relativelyto'said handle former and being The boa m, belt some brought to rest when the formation of the handle is completed, said stapling means being arranged to operate when the strip is brought to rest following the formation of said U-shaped handle, said apparatus being further characterized in that the strip, the U-shaped handle and the handle former are moved as a unit to bring the trailing side of the handle into operative relation with the stapling means following the aforesaid stapling of the leading side of the handle to said strip and means whereby a further operation of the stapling means is effected to staple the trailing side of the handle member to said strip following the aforesaid unitary movement of the strip, handle member and handle former.

3. Apparatus for the continuous production of handle attachments of the character describedcomprising means for intermittently moving a continuous strip past a plurality of stations including a handle forming station, a handle stapling station and a strip cutting station, a plurality of handle forming means located at the by successive stapling operations which are timed to coincide with predetermined interruptions of the advancing movement of the strip, and intermittently operated strip cutting means located at said strip cutting station, said strip cutting means functioning to cut said strip into shorter sections by successive cutting operations which are timed to occur when the strip is at rest, the intervals between successive operations of the cutting means being timed with relation to advancing movements of the strip. so that each of the shorter sections into which the strip isdivided by the strip cutting means will include a previously applied U-shaped handle.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including means whereby the shorter strip sections which are separated from the main strip by the strip cutting means are passed from said cutting means to a gluing station and a conveyor to which the finished handle attachments coming from the gluing station are delivered.

5. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a table, a handle former provided with a downwardly opening handle forming channel facing the upper surface of the table, means for moving the handle former along the upper surface of the table from a starting position to an advanced position and then returning the I handle former to said starting position and means for lifting the handle former to an elevated position above the upper surface of the table as the handle former commences its return movement, said lifting means serving to retain the handle former in its elevated position until the handle former has completed a predetermined portion of its return movement.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for moving the handle former is designed to permit the latter to remain stationary for a predetermined interval as it reaches the end of its travel in either direction.

'7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for moving the handle former comprises a-lever, means including a cam for imparting swinging movement to said lever'and means connecting said lever to said handle former.

5 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for moving the handle former comprises alever, means including a cam for imparting swinging movement to said lever and a shock absorbing connection through which the swinging motion of the lever is transmitted to said handle former to reciprocate the latter.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for moving the handle former comprises an intermediately pivoted lever, a cam, a

biasing spring arranged to hold one end of said lever in contact with said cam and means connecting the other end of the lever to said handle former to reciprocate the latter in response to swinging movement of the lever.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the handle former comprises a horizontal plate and a pair of horizontally arranged U-shaped strips arranged one within the other in spaced relation and having upper edge portions thereof secured to the underside of said plate, said strips forming .the inner and outer side walls of said handle forming channel.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for lifting the handle former comprises a lifting plate mounted on said table and a projection from the handle former adapted to ride upon the upper surface of said plate and to thereby elevate the handle former during a portion of its return movement.

5 12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for raising the handle former comprises a projection extending outwardly from said handle former and a lifting plate arranged on the table so that said projection travels beneath 4 said plate during the advancing movement of the handle former and is caused to travel in an elevated path along the upper surface of said plate during a portion of the return movement of the handle former.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the means for lifting the handle former comprises a pivotally mounted lifting plate arranged with the body portion thereof spaced above the upper surface of said table and with one end thereof extending downwardly toward said table and a projection from thehandle former adapted, during the advancing movement of the handle former, to travel beneath the body portion of said plate and to engage and lift the downwardly directed end of said plate as it passes therebeyond, the arrangement being such that said projection is caused to ride the upper surface of said plate during the return movement of said handle former.

comprising a plate, horizontally arranged U- shaped strips having upper edge portions thereof secured to the underside of said plate, said strips being arranged one within the other and spaced apart to provide the side walls of a substantially U-shaped handle forming channel; corresponding end portions of said strips being free of attachment to said plate and being adjustable toward or away from each other and means for securing said flexible end portions of the strips in adjusted position.

15. A handle former of the character described comprising a plate, horizontally arranged U- shaped strips having upper edge portions thereof secured to the underside of said plate, said strips 60 14. A handle former of the character described being arranged one within the other and spaced apart to provide the side walls of a handle forming channel, corresponding end portions of said strips being free of attachment to said plate and being sufficeintly flexible to permit them to be adjusted toward or away from each other and ends of said handle forming channel are directed, means functioning when the handle former is in its starting or handle forming position to feed a predetermined length of string across said strip means for securing said flexible end portions in adjusted position comprising clamping screws passing through slots provided in said plate and. having screw threaded engagement with the said flexible end portions of the strips.

16. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a table, a handle former movable over said table from a starting or handle forming position to an advanced or handle shifting position and vice versa, said handle former being provided with a downwardly. opening and substantially U-shaped handle forming channel facing the upper surface of the table, the ends of said channel being directed toward one side of the path of movement of said handle former, means for reciprocating said handle former whereby the latter is shifted from its starting to its advanced position and vice versa, means for lifting the handle former to an elevated position with reference to the upper surface of the table as the handle former commences its return and into said handle forming channel whereby said length of string is bent to provide a U-shaped handle having portions of its side arms extending across said strip, stapling means, means functioning upon completion of said handle to operate said stapling means .to staple the leading side of the handle to said strip, and means for efiecting a further operation of said stapling means to staple the trailing side of the handle to said strip when the handle former is shifted to its advanced position, the arrangement being such that the handle contained within the handle forming channel, of the handle former is caused to advance with said handle former but is disengaged by, the handle member as the latter is elevated with reference to the table during the return movement thereof.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 including means whereby the string feeding means is movement after being shifted to its advanced po sition, said lifting means serving to retain the caused to operate whenv the handle former is in its handle forming position, is caused to cease operation during the period that thehandle former is being moved to its advance position and then returned to its handle forming position and is caused to resume operation as soon as the handle former is returned to its handle forming position after each advance thereof.

EDWARD KEITH ROBINSON. JOHN BAGNALL, 

